If I were to pick a religion...to devote myself to, I think it would be Judaism. Of the major religions, it seems the most rational and the most scholarly. Part of me wishes I had been born Jewish or had grown up around some people of Jewish faith and had converted. Sadly I am too old, fat and faithless these days to convert to any religion. :color:

nightowl

18-05-2011, 05:21 AM

If I were to pick a religion...to devote myself to, I think it would be Judaism. Of the major religions, it seems the most rational and the most scholarly. Part of me wishes I had been born Jewish or had grown up around some people of Jewish faith and had converted. Sadly I am too old, fat and faithless these days to convert to any religion. :color:

It is nice to hear that there is someone who see Judaism in the same vein I do.
It holds a special place in my heart :hug3:

nightowl

psychoslice

18-05-2011, 05:30 AM

Hi Scibat, why are you drawn to Judaism, how do you think it will make your life better than it is right now ?.

Scibat

18-05-2011, 05:35 AM

Hi Scibat, why are you drawn to Judaism, how do you think it will make your life better than it is right now ?.

No, nothing like that. I have always been of a scholarly bent and love learning, and that seems to be a large part of the Hebrew faith. Also like I said it seems more rational, less prone to some of the irrational behavior you see other religions engaging in. I am sure there are probably overzealous individuals like in any faith, but Judaism doesn't have a reputation for that sort of thing.

Also it's a culture as much as a faith, and I have never been a part of any real culture and that would be nice as well I think.

psychoslice

18-05-2011, 05:40 AM

No, nothing like that. I have always been of a scholarly bent and love learning, and that seems to be a large part of the Hebrew faith. Also like I said it seems more rational, less prone to some of the irrational behavior you see other religions engaging in. I am sure there are probably overzealous individuals like in any faith, but Judaism doesn't have a reputation for that sort of thing.

Also it's a culture as much as a faith, and I have never been a part of any real culture and that would be nice as well I think.
That's great if you want to be a part of something but have you ever thought of being you, who you truly are, you are not a religion, also have you ever read the old testament, have you ever seen what the god in this book once did, and also what he's so called people did in the name of this god ?.

Scibat

18-05-2011, 05:43 AM

That's great if you want to be a part of something but have you ever thought of being you, who you truly are, you are not a religion, also have you ever read the old testament, have you ever seen what the god in this book once did, and also what he's so called people did in the name of this god ?.
Yep. I know the bible pretty well. People have done bad and good in the name of God. People have done bad and good in the name of patriotism too. As for who I truly am, I'm just an overweight computer nerd on disability who is searching for something that he doesn't even know what it is.

But honestly I am much of an agnostic really to dive into something like a religion, especially when I am so on the fence about the existence of God to begin with.

psychoslice

18-05-2011, 05:51 AM

Yep. I know the bible pretty well. People have done bad and good in the name of God. People have done bad and good in the name of patriotism too. As for who I truly am, I'm just an overweight computer nerd on disability who is searching for something that he doesn't even know what it is.

But honestly I am much of an agnostic really to dive into something like a religion, especially when I am so on the fence about the existence of God to begin with.
Yep just never lose that questioning, never let anyone give you a belief system, it will imprison you. I myself love to read most scriptures of whatever religion, but i will never again let any of them imprison me in their dogma, i'm more of a free Spirit I guess, but whatever you do, all the the best.

Honza

18-05-2011, 07:59 AM

That's great if you want to be a part of something but have you ever thought of being you, who you truly are...

I think we are always that. Whatever shape or form we are in. There is no "I was not myself way back when" or "I am not myself now". We are always our true self - even if we are in some form of denial.

psychoslice

18-05-2011, 09:05 AM

I think we are always that. Whatever shape or form we are in. There is no "I was not myself way back when" or "I am not myself now". We are always our true self - even if we are in some form of denial.
Yes we are always our true SELF, but really, how many realize this, REALLY ?.

Honza

18-05-2011, 05:59 PM

Yes we are always our true SELF, but really, how many realize this, REALLY ?.

True, not many.

7luminaries

18-05-2011, 06:57 PM

If I were to pick a religion...to devote myself to, I think it would be Judaism. Of the major religions, it seems the most rational and the most scholarly. Part of me wishes I had been born Jewish or had grown up around some people of Jewish faith and had converted. Sadly I am too old, fat and faithless these days to convert to any religion. :color:

LOL! there is room for all at the table my friend.
I always felt the whole point of any tradition was just as Hillel said..
and Buddha and Jesus & tons of others have said...

To show us how simple it is...
Just do unto others... and love God, yourself, & one another with heart, soul, and everything you have.
:hug3:
Of course the rest you have to figure out for yourself but those are the big items...

Peace,
7L

7luminaries

18-05-2011, 06:58 PM

I think we are always that. Whatever shape or form we are in. There is no "I was not myself way back when" or "I am not myself now". We are always our true self - even if we are in some form of denial.

LOL...YES. Agreed.

A Glass named Esther

23-05-2011, 11:31 PM

If I were to pick a religion...to devote myself to, I think it would be Judaism. Of the major religions, it seems the most rational and the most scholarly. Part of me wishes I had been born Jewish or had grown up around some people of Jewish faith and had converted. Sadly I am too old, fat and faithless these days to convert to any religion. :color:

Scibat, your sentiments are very sweet. However, according the to Torah there is no need for you to convert to be a Jew or to devote yourself to a specific religion.

If you like, you can study sections of the Torah that apply to all humanity. But most importantly, set yourself on a path of life and grow each day:smile:

-esther

drake

18-10-2011, 04:46 AM

I read some of the talmud earlier this year, and I must say I was pleasantly surprised. It was like a good philosophical debate with yourself, and it worked both my analytical brain and my sense of wonder.

RabbiO

18-10-2011, 09:47 AM

I read some of the talmud earlier this year, and I must say I was pleasantly surprised...

Just curious... What were you expecting??

B'shalom,

Peter

astroboy

18-10-2011, 03:43 PM

I think we are always that. Whatever shape or form we are in. There is no "I was not myself way back when" or "I am not myself now". We are always our true self - even if we are in some form of denial.

Beautifully said, Honza.

drake

11-11-2011, 02:47 AM

Just curious... What were you expecting??

B'shalom,

Peter

Well, now that you mention it I guess I was expecting it to be kind flat and boring actually..like a long list of rules or something. lol My bad! I'm glad I was curious enough to find out otherwise!

I often do that actually - unconsciously judge something before I have any knowledge of it and then love it when I catch a glimpse of the real thing. I'm a programmer and I really love my work, but in the past I had always imagined this sort of thing to be super boring, like math class. But it is NOTHING like math class. Its more like building your own world using a magic language that many other humans are mystified by. :icon_geek:

Yamah

13-11-2011, 05:42 PM

hey drake!

I'm also a computer programmer (as a hobby) and I happen to be a religious jew, spending 5+ hours every day on sections of the Talmud. There is a LOT in common with computer programming and Talmud study, both of them ultimately being about the creation of a logical structure wherein all the various functions are able to interact appropriately. My learning partner hates it when I throw in 'if/then/else' statements or organize things in 'switch' lists.